Shingle gauge attachment for roofer&#39;s hatchet



y 1952 J. F. INGRAM 2,596,558

SHINGLE GAUGE ATTACHMENT FOR ROOFER'S HATCHET Filed NOV. 25, 1949 John F. Ingram INVENTOR.

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Patented May 13, 1952 SHINGLE GAUGE ATTACHMENT FOR ROOFERS HATCHET John Frlngram, Ojai, Calif.

Application November 25, 1949, Serial No. 129,469

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates,'structurally and'functionally; to an. improved attachment means .for

a rooferskhatchet having: acccnventional-type headcwith a. blade at :one end and an impact :head at the opposite end'and has more particu- 1 lar reference to an attachment'which is characteriz'ed. by simple components which when attached to the head and blade respectively 'coact with thelatter in providing a handy and practical shingle gauge.

Another object of the invention. is to provide attachment means wherein the complemental parts cooperate with the head and blade so that the latter cooperate therewith in providing the aforementioned shingle gauge, the parts being such that their presence on 'the'head and blade do not interfere with the customary use and functioning of these parts.

Somewhat generally stated it is an object of the invention to improve upon and reduce the numberof partsentering into the over-all-combination, thereby not only increasing the efficiency of the structure as a whole,-but alsorend'ering the same less costly to manufacture and to otherwisesimplify factors of assembling and sale.

Briefly summarized, the preferred form of the invention has to do with an L-shaped bracket embodying an attaching shank which is adapted to be superimposed against and fastened to a side face of the aforementioned blade with the lateral end portion extending a predetermined distance at right angles beyond said side face in order to serve as a shingle abutting and position gauging stop, a second L-shaped bracket having a corresponding attaching shank and a lateral end portion providing a complemental shingle gauging stop adapted to abut a second shingle, and a clamp adapted to be mounted on the aforementioned impact head, said clamp constituting an adapter and the attaching shank of the second L-shaped bracket being separably mounted on said clamp in order that both brackets may be simultaneously supported by said head in positions which are in alignment with each other.

Then, too, novelty is predicated upon a structure, as stated, wherein the clamp is in the form of a tubular opened sleeve of non-circular crosssection, said sleeve being split on one side and being provided on said one side with outstanding bolt-equipped sleeve assembling and retaining flanges and at least one wall of said sleeve being of a prescribed length so that when the sleeve is applied on the head said one wall may come into contact with the usual hammer handle in order to assist in establishing a substantially non-shifting position of the sleeveon the head.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying sheet of illusstrative' drawings.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

.. Figure 1 is afragmentary View showing a portion of a shingle roof or wall andshowing, more particularly, the attachment means on the hatchet head and illustrating how the head and attachment means combine inproviding a satisfactoryroofers shingle gauge.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the portion of the handle and the hatchet broken away and showing, with greater particularity, the manner in whichuthe parts of the attachment are constructed and mounted on the impact head and blade respectively.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the-clamp and L shaped bracket which is carried thereby.

With continued reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, reference numeral I9 generally represents a roof or other surface on which successive courses of shingles l2, l4 and it are emplaced. In order to space the courses of shingles properly, that is, to determine the amount of freeboard that will be exposed, the tool, generally designated by reference numberal I8, is used. Since it is highly desirable that a roofer have a minimum of tools or other equipment to keep track of when he is in his precarious perch on a roof, this tool contemplates the combination of a shingle gauge means, in the form of an attachment, with a conventional hatchet used by a roofer.

The hatchet comprises a handle 25) which is fitted into a hatchet blade having an impact head 22 at one end and a cutting edge 24 at the other end. Secured to the blade 26 adjacent the cutting edge 24 is a substantially L-shaped member 28 which is formed with an outwardly extending lateral end portion 38 which forms a stop means adapted to be engaged with the bottom edge of a course of shingles. The member 28 also has a shank portion which is secured by means of bolts 32 which extend through apertures in the shank and through apertures 54 in the blade 26.

As can be readily seen in Figures 1 and 2, the

' impact head 22 is of a tapering shape, the por- 1y designated by reference numeral 35 is adapted to be placed in a removable manner about the tapered impact head 22. open ended sleeve of tapering shape and is formed with opposed flanges 38 and 4a which are bolted together by a bolt 42 in a clamping manner'about the impact head. A second L-shaped bracket is provided and this is denoted by the numeral 44 and this also has a shank portion which is suitably fastened to the clamp or sleeve and 1 further includes a laterally projecting end portion which functions as a shingle gauging stop.

The latter is in proper cooperative alignment with the first named stop. Thus, the two brackets, the clamp and the complemental components of the hatchet head combine in providing a highly satisfactory and easy-to-use shingle gauge. It will be noted in this connection that at least one wall of the sleeve is of a prescribed length so that when the sleeve is applied on the head that one wall may come into contact with the usual hammer handle in order to assist in establishing a substantially non-shifting position of the sleeve on the head. 7

Thus, the impact head and the cutting edge of the hatchet may remain free for such use as desired by the roofer, but the tool remains a readily removable and convenient shingle gauge for use as a liner for roofers.

Since, from the foregoing, the construction and advantages of this tool are readily apparent, further description of this tool is believed to be unnecessary.

However, since numerous modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the foregoing specification and accompanying drawing, it is not intended to limit the invention to the precise embodiment of combined hatchet and shingle gauge shown and described, but all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. For attachment to a roofers hatchet having The clamp 36 is an a second shingle, and. a clamp adapted to be 4 a head with a blade at one end and a tapering impact head at the other end, in combination, an L-shaped bracket embodying an attaching shank which is adapted to be superimposed against and fastened to a side face of the aforementioned blade with the lateral end portion extending a predetermined distance at right angles beyond said side face in order to serve as a shingle abutting and position gauging stop, a second L- shaped bracket having a corresponding attaching shank and a lateral end portion providing a complemental shingle gauging stop adapted to abut mounted on the aforementioned impact head, said clamp constituting an adapter and the attaching shank of the second L-shaped bracket being separably mounted on said clamp in order that both brackets may be simultaneously supported by said head in positions which are in alignment with each other.

2. The structure specified in claim 1 wherein said clamp is a tubular open ended sleeve of noncircular cross-section, said sleeve being split on one side and being provided on said one side with outstanding bolt-equipped sleeve assembling and retaining flanges and at least one wall of said sleeve being of a prescribed length so that when the sleeve is applied on the head said one wall may come into contact with the usual hammer handle in order to assist in establishing a substantially non-shifting position of the sleeve on the head.

. JOHN F. INGRAM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 717,938 Smith Jan. 6, 1903 805,09 Reed Nov. 21, 1905 807,998 Bowman .4 Dec. 19, 1905 946,565 Sayre Jan. 18, 1910 994,628 Young June 6, 1911 

